Study Desk

And now, because you have done all these works, says Jehovah, and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear. Yea, I called you, but you did not answer.

I listened and heard. They did not speak so. No man repented because of this evil, saying, What have I done? Everyone turned in their own courses, as a horse rushes into the battle.

Why do we sit still? Gather yourselves, and let us enter into the fortified cities; and let us be silent there. For Jehovah our God has made us silent there, and He has made us drink poisonous water, because we have sinnedagainst Jehovah.

For this reason, so says Jehovah of Hosts, Behold, I will refine them and test them. For what else can I do because of the daughter of My people?

And Jehovah says, Because they have forsaken My Law which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice, and have not walked in it;

For the voice of lament is heard from Zion. How we are ravaged! We are greatly ashamed because we have forsaken the land; because they have thrown down our dwellings.

They are like a rounded post, and they cannot speak; carrying they must be carried, because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil nor good; it is not with them.

Who would not fear You, O King of nations? For it is fitting to You, because there is none like You among all the wise of the nations, and in all their kingdoms.

And Jehovah of Hosts, who planted you, has spoken evil against you, because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah which they have done to themselves, to provoke Me to anger by burning incense to Baal.

Until when shall the land mourn, and the plant of every field wither from the evil of those who dwell in it? The beasts and the birds are swept away, because they said, He will not see our last end.

They have sown wheat, but they have reaped thorns. They are worn out, but they do not profit. And they shall be ashamed of your harvests, because of the glow of the anger of Jehovah.

But if you will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride. And my eye shall bitterly weep and run down with tears, because the flock of Jehovah was captured.

And if you say in your heart, Why do these things come upon me? It is because of the greatness of your iniquity. Your skirts are bared; your heels suffer violence.

This is your lot, the share of your measure from Me, declares Jehovah, because you have forgotten Me and have trusted in falsehood.

Because the ground was cracked, for there was no rain in the land; the plowmen were ashamed; they covered their head.

For even the doe calved in the field and forsook it because there was no grass.

And the wild asses stood in the high places; they snuffed up the wind like jackals; their eyes failed because there was no grass.

And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword. And none will bury them, either them, their wives, or their sons, or their daughters. For I will pour evil on them.

And I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah; for what he did in Jerusalem.

I did not sit in the circle of merrymakers, nor exult. I sat alone because of Your hand; for You have filled me with indignation.